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COVID-19, Geopolitics, Technology, Migration
Research Guide
What is COVID-19, Geopolitics, Technology, Migration?
COVID-19, Geopolitics, Technology, Migration is a research cluster examining the intersections of pandemic impacts, geopolitical tensions, technological advancements, and migration policies within political science and international relations.
This field encompasses 3,613 papers on topics including US-China relations, global economic competition, innovation management, international trade, and pandemic effects on migration and technology. Key areas cover geopolitical struggles, digital economy shifts, technological warfare, and socio-economic risk assessment. Growth over the past five years is not available in the data.
Topic Hierarchy
Research Sub-Topics
Pandemic Impact on Global Governance
This sub-topic analyzes how COVID-19 accelerated changes in international institutions, e-governance, and crisis response coordination. Researchers study resilience building and policy shifts.
US-China Technological Warfare
This sub-topic examines strategic competitions in AI, semiconductors, and digital infrastructure between superpowers. Researchers assess trade restrictions and innovation decoupling effects.
Migration Policies and Non-Refoulement
This sub-topic investigates EU and national policies balancing border control with refugee protection principles. Researchers critique externalization techniques and human rights compliance.
COVID-19 and Irregular Migration Pathways
This sub-topic explores pandemic effects on migrant routes, legal pathways, and border management innovations. Researchers evaluate cases like Germany's Western Balkan regulation.
Artificial Intelligence and Authoritarian Resilience
This sub-topic studies AI surveillance and control technologies bolstering non-democratic regimes. Researchers project impacts on global political system evolution.
Why It Matters
Papers in this cluster analyze how COVID-19 accelerated cybernetic revolutions and transitions from e-government to e-state, altering social relations, as shown by Grinin et al. (2021) in "COVID-19 pandemic as a trigger for the acceleration of the cybernetic revolution, transition from e-government to e-state, and change in social relations" with 95 citations. Garrett (2020) documented Trump administration policies like wall building and Migrant Protection Protocols worsening human rights on the Mexico-U.S. border during the pandemic, cited 58 times in "COVID-19, wall building, and the effects on Migrant Protection Protocols by the Trump administration: the spectacle of the worsening human rights disaster on the Mexico-U.S. border". Bither and Ziebarth (2018) evaluated Germany's “Western Balkan Regulation” for creating legal migration pathways, reducing irregular migration after over 1 million arrivals in Europe in 2015, with 75 citations. These works highlight policy responses in migration control, border security, and tech-driven governance amid global crises.
Reading Guide
Where to Start
"CREATING LEGAL PATHWAYS TO REDUCE IRREGULAR MIGRATION?WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM GERMANY’S “WESTERN BALKAN REGULATION”" by Bither and Ziebarth (2018) serves as the beginner start because its 75 citations and focus on a specific policy response to the 2015 migration surge provide concrete lessons in migration management without requiring prior geopolitical expertise.
Key Papers Explained
Grinin et al. (2021) in "COVID-19 pandemic as a trigger for the acceleration of the cybernetic revolution, transition from e-government to e-state, and change in social relations" (95 citations) establishes pandemic-driven tech shifts, which Garrett (2020) extends to border policies in "COVID-19, wall building, and the effects on Migrant Protection Protocols by the Trump administration: the spectacle of the worsening human rights disaster on the Mexico-U.S. border" (58 citations). Bither and Ziebarth (2018) in "CREATING LEGAL PATHWAYS TO REDUCE IRREGULAR MIGRATION?WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM GERMANY’S “WESTERN BALKAN REGULATION”" (75 citations) complements with pre-pandemic migration solutions, while Menèndez (2016) in "The Refugee Crisis: Between Human Tragedy and Symptom of the Structural Crisis of European Integration" (70 citations) links to EU structural issues. International IDEA (2021) in "The Global State of Democracy 2021: Building resilience in a pandemic era" (42 citations) ties these to democratic resilience.
Paper Timeline
Most-cited paper highlighted in red. Papers ordered chronologically.
Advanced Directions
Recent preprints show no new activity in the last six months, indicating a potential lull after 2021 peaks. News coverage is absent in the last 12 months. Frontiers likely involve ongoing evaluations of post-COVID migration pacts and AI's role in geopolitical tensions, building on Unver (2018) in "Artificial Intelligence, Authoritarianism and the Future of Political Systems".
Papers at a Glance
| # | Paper | Year | Venue | Citations | Open Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | COVID-19 pandemic as a trigger for the acceleration of the cyb... | 2021 | Technological Forecast... | 95 | ✓ |
| 2 | CREATING LEGAL PATHWAYS TO REDUCE IRREGULAR MIGRATION?WHAT WE ... | 2018 | — | 75 | ✕ |
| 3 | The Refugee Crisis: Between Human Tragedy and Symptom of the S... | 2016 | European Law Journal | 70 | ✕ |
| 4 | COVID-19, wall building, and the effects on Migrant Protection... | 2020 | Administrative Theory ... | 58 | ✓ |
| 5 | Organizational measures aiming to combat COVID-19 in the Russi... | 2020 | Expert Review of Pharm... | 44 | ✕ |
| 6 | The Global State of Democracy 2021: Building resilience in a p... | 2021 | — | 42 | ✕ |
| 7 | Artificial Intelligence, Authoritarianism and the Future of Po... | 2018 | — | 38 | ✕ |
| 8 | External Border Control Techniques in the EU as a Challenge to... | 2021 | European Constitutiona... | 36 | ✓ |
| 9 | Freedom of movement, migration, and borders | 2020 | Journal of Human Rights | 35 | ✕ |
| 10 | Europe After COVID-19: A New Role for German Leadership? | 2021 | Intereconomics | 34 | ✓ |
Latest Developments
Recent developments in COVID-19 include the emergence of new variants in late 2025 and early 2026, with data indicating that the dominant variant nationwide as of December 2025 is XFG, comprising 61% of cases (Nebraska Medicine). A new COVID-19 variant identified in late 2025 and monitored closely in 2026 behaves similarly to earlier Omicron strains in terms of illness severity (Priority Care Clinics). The latest epidemic trend estimates as of January 27, 2026, suggest COVID-19 infections are growing or likely growing in 11 states, with projections indicating peaks in summer 2025 and winter 2025-26 (CDC).
Sources
Frequently Asked Questions
What role did COVID-19 play in accelerating technological shifts in governance?
Grinin et al. (2021) argue in their paper with 95 citations that the COVID-19 pandemic triggered the cybernetic revolution, speeding the shift from e-government to e-state. This involved changes in social relations through digital tools. The analysis covers innovation management and digital economy dynamics.
How did Germany's Western Balkan Regulation address irregular migration?
Bither and Ziebarth (2018) examined Germany's “Western Balkan Regulation” following over 1 million arrivals in Europe in 2015. The policy aimed to create legal pathways for protection needs while curbing irregular migration. It provides lessons for orderly migration management systems.
What impact did COVID-19 have on U.S.-Mexico border policies?
Garrett (2020) detailed how Trump administration measures, including wall building and Migrant Protection Protocols, intensified human rights issues amid COVID-19. These policies hindered international disease control efforts. The paper, cited 58 times, critiques the border spectacle's consequences.
How has COVID-19 affected democracy globally?
The International IDEA (2021) report "The Global State of Democracy 2021: Building resilience in a pandemic era", with 42 citations, notes COVID-19 exacerbated threats through emergencies, disinformation, and crackdowns on media. Democracies faced internal and authoritarian pressures. Resilience building is emphasized.
What are key EU border control challenges to non-refoulement?
Goldner Lang and Nagy (2021) identify EU external border techniques like pushbacks and deterrence as challenges to non-refoulement in their 36-citation paper. Practices include safe country concepts and reactions from EU institutions. The New Pact on Migration and Asylum addresses legal uncertainties.
Open Research Questions
- ? How do cybernetic revolutions triggered by pandemics reshape e-state structures and geopolitical power balances?
- ? What long-term effects do pandemic-era border policies have on non-refoulement principles and migrant rights?
- ? In what ways does AI integration influence authoritarian resilience versus democratic systems during global crises?
- ? How can legal migration pathways be scaled to manage irregular flows post-mass arrivals like 2015 in Europe?
- ? What structural changes in European integration arise from refugee crises combined with pandemic responses?
Recent Trends
The field reached 3,613 papers by tracking high-citation works up to 2021, with top papers like Grinin et al. at 95 citations focusing on COVID-19's cybernetic acceleration.
2021No growth rate is available over five years.
Absence of recent preprints or news in the last six and 12 months suggests consolidation rather than expansion post-pandemic peaks.
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